— S s T*  'TO 


REY.  DR,  HAWES’S  SERMON 


BEFORE  THE 


t American  SoavD  of  Commissioners  for  ;j 
.foreign  illissions.^ 

1846. 


The  Help  of  the  Lord,  the  Seal  of  the  Missionary  Work. 


A 

SERMON, 


PREACHED  AT  NEW  HAVEN,  CT.,  SEPT.  8,  1846, 


BEFORE  THE 


AMERICAN  BOARD  OF  COMMISSIONERS 


FOREIGN  MISSIONS, 


AT  THEIR 


THIRTY-SEVENTH  ANNUAL  MEETING. 


BY  REV.  JOEL  HAWES,  D.  D. 

Pastor  of  the  First  Church,  Hartford,  Ct. 

♦ 


BOSTON : 

PRESS  OF  T.  R.  MARVIN,  24  CONGRESS  STREET. 
1 8 4 6. 


% 


' 


- 


J 


SERMON. 


1 Samuel  vii.  12. 

HITHERTO  HATH  THE  LORD  HELPED  US. 


Thirty-six  years  ago,  on  the  fifth  of  the  present 
month,  five  grave  and  venerable  looking  men  met  by 
appointment  in  the  private  parlor  of  a Connecticut 
pastor.*  They  were  men  of  large  minds,  of  devoted 
hearts,  and  of  great  wisdom  and  energy  in  devising 
and  executing  plans  of  Christian  benevolence  They 
constituted  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners 
for  Foreign  Missions.  They  had  been  appointed  to 
their  office  the  preceding  June,  by  the  General 
Association  of  Massachusetts,  and  were  now  met, 
for  the  first  time,  to  organize  the  Board,  and  devise 
ways  and  means  for  carrying  out  the  great  object 
of  their  appointment.  One  of  that  number  still 
survives;!  the  others  have  gone  to  their  reward  on 
high.  Their  meeting  attracted  but  little  notice. 
They  had  come  together,  three  from  Massachusetts, 
and  two  from  Connecticut,  to  consult  on  a subject 


* Rev.  Dr.  Porter,  Farmington. 


f Rev.  Dr.  Chapin,  Wethersfield. 


4 


respecting  which  the  community  then  felt  but  little 
interest,  and  had  but  little  knowledge.  They  were 
without  funds,  without  a single  missionary  in  the 
field,  without  experience,  and,  in  so  far  as  this 
country  was  concerned,  without  precedents  to  guide 
them  in  their  deliberations.  Added  to  all,  how  the 
public  would  regard  the  enter  prize  in  which  they 
were  engaged,  was  wholly  problematical.  Like  the 
disciples  of  old,  in  that  upper  room  in  Jerusalem, 
they  had  a mighty  work  to  accomplish,  but  the 
means  of  its  accomplishment  were  yet  to  be  made 
known  to  them.  But  strong  in  faith,  and  relying 
on  God  for  help,  they  entered  upon  the  great  work 
which  had  been  assigned  to  them,  formed  their  plan 
of  operations,  appealed  to  the  Christian  public  for 
aid,  and  the  work  went  forward  far  beyond  their 
most  sanguine  hopes.  Taking  our  position  at  this 
point,  let  us,  brethren  and  friends,  briefly  review  the 
dealings  of  God  with  the  Board,  and  the  missions 
established  under  its  patronage  during  the  period  of 
its  operations,  and,  if  I mistake  not,  we  shall  find 
occasion,  at  every  stage  of  the  review,  to  take  up 
the  language  of  the  text,  and  say,  “ Iliiherto  hath 
the  Lord  helped  us.”  And, 

1.  This  is  true  in  respect  to  a vast  enlargement 
of  the  accessible  field  of  missions.  At  the  com- 
mencement of  the  period  under  review,  but  a com- 
paratively few  spots  on  the  globe  were  open  to 
missionary  operations.  The  great  empire  of  China 
was  hermetically  sealed  against  Christian  light  and 
influence.  The  dark  continent  of  Africa  was  very 
little  known,  covered  over  by  a dense  cloud  through 

4 


5 


which  scarcely  a ray  of  light,  from  any  source,  had 
penetrated.  The  London  Missionary  Society  had, 
indeed,  a few  years  before,  commenced  operations 
in  South  Africa.  But  its  missions  encountered 
violent  opposition,  were  repeatedly  broken  up,  and 
had  for  a long  time  to  struggle  for  existence.  At 
Tahiti,  the  mission  established  there  by  the  London 
Society,  was  almost  extinct,  owing  to  the  bloody 
insurrections  and  wars  among  the  natives.  In 
Hindoostan,  though  under  British  power,  so  great 
was  the  jealousy  of  the  government  in  regard  to 
missionary  influence,  that  even  missionaries  who 
had  been  sent  out  from  England,  were  tolera- 
ted only  with  the  greatest  difficulty,  and  when  the 
first  missionaries  of  this  Board  arrived  in  the  coun- 
try, they  were  at  once  ordered  to  depart.  They 
fled  to  Bombay.  Orders  to  leave  followed  them 
there  ; and  it  was  only  after  a long  controversy  with 
the  local  authorities,  and  encountering  innumerable 
reverses  and  discouragements,  that  they  were  per- 
mitted to  remain  on  mere  sufferance.  This  was 
thirty-three  years  ago,  last  February.  How  changed 
the  state  of  the  world  now,  in  regard  to  being 
accessible  to  Christian  influence  ! Instead  of  being 
obliged  to  ask,  as  were  the  founders  of  our  Board, 
with  great  solicitude,  Where  can  we  send  missiona- 
ries ? we  may  rather  ask,  Where  can  we  not  send 
them  ? The  world,  which  is  the  great  field  of 
missions,  has  been  surveyed  in  well  nigh  all  its 
parts  ; and  the  portions  of  it  now  perfectly  open  to 
the  bearers  of  the  gospel  message  are  large  enough 
to  exhaust  the  resources  of  all  Christendom  for 


6 


many  years  to  come.  China,  with  her  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  millions  of  people,  is  open,  and  the 
decree  of  the  emperor  has  gone  forth  for  the  free 
toleration  of  Christianity  in  his  dominions.  Hin- 
doostan,  with  her  one  hundred  and  forty  millions  of 
souls,  is  as  free  of  access  almost  as  our  own  country. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  the  islands  of  the  Pacific,  of 
Australasia,  and  of  many  large  and  thickly  populated 
portions  of  Africa.  Even  in  Turkey,  where  but  a 
few  years  since  a Christian  missionary  could  not  go 
without  incurring  certain  death,  or  the  most  immi- 
nent risk  of  it,  the  rights  of  conscience  are  now 
recognized,  and  the  sword  of  persecution  sheathed. 
Mohammedans  may  change  their  religion  and  no 
longer  be  exposed  to  decapitation  ;*  and  the  perse- 
cutions to  which  our  Armenian  brethren  were  sub- 
jected during  the  last  winter,  have,  in  the  wonder- 
working providence  of  God,  resulted  in  securing  for 
them  religious  freedom,  which,  we  may  hope,  will 
be  extended  throughout  Syria,  and  all  the  depen- 
dencies of  the  Ottoman  empire. 

Thus  God  has  been  opening  the  way  all  over  the 
globe  for  the  going  forth  of  his  truth  to  the  conquest 
of  the  nations.  There  are,  at  this  moment,  not  less 
than  five  hundred  millions  of  souls,  to  whom,  so  far 
as  freedom  of  access  is  concerned,  we  might  carry 
the  gospel  to-morrow,  and  who  are  now  perishing 


* An  arrangement  to  this  effect  was  made  some  two  years  since,  chiefly 
through  the  agency  of  Sir  Stratford  Canning,  British  Ambassador  at  Con- 
stantinople. It  had  special  reference  perhaps  to  that  class  of  Mohammed- 
ans, who,  having  renounced  Christianity,  might  wish  to  return  to  their  former 
faith.  It  is  believed,  however,  that  the  arrangement  is,  in  fact,  or  will  be 
made  by  construction,  applicable  to  the  whole  body  of  Mohammedans. 


7 


for  lack  of  vision.  Had  this  been  predicted  thirty- 
six  years  ago,  it  would  have  been  deemed  utterly 
incredible,  and  the  friends  of  the  missionary  cause 
would  have  said,  “ If  the  Lord  would  make  windows 
in  heaven,  then  this  thing  might  be.”  But  the  thing 
is  done  ; and  in  consequence,  the  state  of  the  world 
may  now  be  said  to  be  very  similar  to  that  of  the 
Roman  empire  at  the  period  .of  the  planting  of 
Christianity.  Roads  had  been  cut  into  all  parts  of 
the  empire,  radiating  in  every  direction  from  the 
capital,  over  which  the  apostles  and  first  preachers 
of  the  gospel  might  travel  with  ease  and  safety,  as 
they  went  forth  to  bear  the  messages  of  salvation  to 
remote  tribes  and  nations  of  men.  So  it  is  now, 
only  in  a higher  and  far  more  perfect  sense.  Most 
surprisingly,  in  these  latter  days,  has  God,  in  his 
providence,  been  removing  the  barriers  which  for- 
merly separated  the  nations  from  each  other,  and 
has  opened  up  highways  by  land  and  sea,  whereby 
the  heralds  of  his  grace  may  fly  abroad,  as  on  the 
wings  of  the  wind,  bearing  their  messages  of  love  to 
earth’s  remotest  bounds.  In  consequence  of  the 
extension  of  commerce,  and  the  vast  increase  of 
intercourse  among  the  nations,  consulates  and  em- 
bassies have  been  established  by  Christian  powers, 
in  all  the  important  ports  and  countries  on  the 
globe  ; and  this  is  often  a great  source  of  safety  and 
assistance  to  the  missionary  in  the  prosecution  of  his 
work — an  advantage  but  little  known  or  enjoyed 
only  a few  years  since.  Thus  true  is  it,  that  the 
Lord  hath  helped  us  in  opening  before  us  new  and 
greatly  enlarged  fields  of  missions. 


8 


2.  This  is  equally  true  in  regard  to  a vast  increase 
of  the  missionary  spirit.  It  is  an  interesting  fact, 
that  our  country,  especially  this  northern  portion  of 
it,  was  planted  in  the  spirit  of  missions.  One  great 
design  of  our  fathers  in  coming  here  was  to  build  up 
the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  these  ends  of  the  earth, 
and  gather  the  natives  into  the  fold  of  Christ.  And 
there  has  never  been  a time  from  that  day  to  the 
present,  when  the  spirit  of  missions  was  not  alive 
and  active  in  the  bosoms  of  many  of  the  friends  of 
the  Savior,  prompting  them  to  sacrifices  and  efforts 
for  the  salvation  of  the  heathen  in  the  land,  equal  at 
least  to  any  made  in  our  day.  Still  it  was  not  until 
the  formation  of  the  American  Board  that  any  thing 
was  done  in  the  way  of  sending  the  gospel  to  the 
heathen  abroad.  The  spirit  of  home  missions  had  a 
few  years  previous  been  rising  in  the  churches,  and 
several  societies  had  been  formed  in  different  sec- 
tions of  the  country  for  the  purpose  of  sending 
missionaries  to  our  destitute  new  settlements.  This 
naturally  awakened  concern  in  the  minds  of  the 
benevolent,  for  the  benighted  heathen  ; and  indi- 
viduals, here  and  there,  began  to  inquire  whether 
something  might  not  and  ought  not  to  be  done  for 
their  salvation.  But  no  general  interest  was  felt 
on  the  subject.  It  was  the  day  of  small  things. 
Many  regarded  the  enterprize  of  a foreign  mission 
as  chimerical,  many  openly  opposed  it  on  various 
grounds;  and  through  prejudice  or  want  of  infor- 
mation, it  found  favor  only  with  a comparatively 
few.  And  when  it  was,  at  length,  resolved  by  the 
Board  to  attempt  a mission  in  some  part  of  the 


9 


heathen  world,  so  great  was  the  doubt  whether  the 
Christian  community  would  furnish  means  to  sus- 
tain the  undertaking,  that  it  was  deemed  expedient 
to  send  one  of  the  four  young  men,  who  had  been 
accepted  as  missionaries,  to  England,  to  ascertain 
“ whether  their  support,  in  whole  or  in  part,  at 
least  for  a season,  might  not  be  derived  from  the 
London  Missionary  Society.” 

How  different  the  state  of  things  now  ! From 
the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  Board  till  the 
present  hour,  the  spirit  of  missions  has  been  steadily 
on  the  advance.  It  has  pervaded  all  denominations 
of  Christians  in  the  land,  and  has  organized  them 
for  the  great  purpose  of  spreading  the  gospel  through 
the  world.  There  is  nothing  sudden,  enthusiastic, 
or  ephemeral  in  the  rise  and  progress  of  this  spirit. 
It  is  calm,  deliberate,  intelligent,  and  decided.  It 
is  generous,  self-denying,  self-sacrificing.  It  has 
every  mark  of  an  heavenly  origin,  and  it  has  been 
gradually  bringing  the  whole  Christian  community 
under  a deep-seated,  practical  conviction,  that  the 
gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  ought  to  be  published, 
with  the  least  possible  delay,  to  all  mankind.  This 
is  now  coming  to  be  the  settled  persuasion  of  all 
who  call  themselves  Christians;  and  it  is  not  easy 
for  any  one  to  establish  his  claim  to  a Christian 
character  who  does  not  acknowledge  his  obligation 
to  bear  a part  in  the  evangelization  of  the  world. 

“ Mark  how  this  spirit  of  missions  pervades  the 
Christian  literature  of  the  day  ; how  it  mingles  itself 
with  the  very  elements  of  instruction  in  the  Sabbath 
school  and  by  the  fireside ; how  it  speaks  from  the 


10 


pulpit  in  the  voice  of  every  minister  of  the  word  ; 
how  it  breathes  in  the  prayers  of  myriads  in  the 
closet,  in  the  family,  and  in  the  praying  circle  ; how 
it  goes  forth  with  unwearied  step,  gathering  funds 
from  all  classes  of  people  in  all  parts  of  the  land, 
and  operating  every  where  and  in  every  form,  to 
carry  out  the  last  command  of  the  Savior,  to  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature.” 

It  is  this  spirit  which  has  given  rise  to  so  many 
benevolent  societies  in  our  day,  and  is  supplying 
them  so  generously  with  the  means  of  usefulness. 
It  is  this  spirit  which  has  raised  the  funds  of  the 
Board  from  hundreds  to  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
dollars  ; which  has  so  multiplied  its  missions  and  its 
missionaries ; which  has  drawn  around  it  so  strong- 
ly the  affections,  the  prayers,  and  the  co-operation 
of  the  friends  of  Christ,  and  awakened  such  exalted 
hopes  as  to  the  agency  it  is  destined  to  exert  in 
bringing  on  the  latter-day  glory  of  the  church. 
Surely  in  all  this  we  cannot  but  gratefully  recog- 
nize the  hand  of  God.  The  spirit  of  missions, 
which  now  so  widely  and  so  efficiently  pervades  the 
Christian  community,  is  of  his  own  inspiring,  and 
by  his  help  it  will  continue  to  spread  and  to  increase 
in  activity  and  power,  till  the  entire  resources  of 
Christendom,  so  far  as  needed,  shall  be  called  forth 
in  the  world’s  conversion. 

The  progress  of  the  spirit  of  missions,  so  remark- 
able in  our  country,  has  not  been  less  so  in  Great 
Britain  and  other  Protestant  lands.  The  Baptist 
mission  to  India,  established  in  1792,  began  with  a 
subscription  of  only  £13  2s.  6d.  When  the  yearly 


11 


income  of  the  Society  had  risen  to  £1,500,  Andrew 
Fuller  said  he  did  not  doubt  that  it  would,  in  the 
course  of  time,  reach  £5,000.  Dr.  Bogue,  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
said,  when  it  had  an  income  of  £5,000,  he  did  not 
doubt  that  one  day,  as  the  consummation  of  faith 
and  exertion,  the  annual  income  of  the  Society 
would  be  £20,000.  The  yearly  income  of  the 
Baptist  Society  has  risen  to  £26,000,  or  nearly 
130,000  dollars;  and  that  of  the  London  Society  to 
the  sum  of  £80,000,  or  400,000  dollars.  There 
has  been  a corresponding  increase  in  the  resources 
of  the  other  great  missionary  societies,  both  in 
England  and  on  the  continent.  The  British  Wes- 
leyan  Missionary  Society  expends  nearly  half  a 
million  of  dollars  a year  in  the  cause  of  missions, 
and  the  Church  Missionary  Society  about  the  same 
sum.  It  is  estimated  that  at  least  two  millions  and 
a half  of  dollars  are  annually  expended  in  advancing 
this  great  cause  by  the  various  Protestant  societies 
in  Christendom.  All  this  is  the  fruit  of  the  spirit 
of  missions,  which  has  grown  up  chiefly  within  the 
last  fifty  years.  Surely  we  must  say,  in  view  of  all 
these  co-operating  agencies,  “ Hitherto  hath  the 
Lord  helped  us.”  He  has  shown,  in  a most  striking 
manner,  that  the  silver  and  the  gold  are  his,  and  at 
his  pleasure  he  can  allay  prejudice,  silence  opposi- 
tion, remove  objections,  and  open  the  hearts  and  the 
hands  of  the  rich  and  the  poor  to  contribute  of  their 
substance  to  aid  in  spreading  his  gospel  over  the 
world. 

3.  We  shall  have  still  further  evidence  of  the 


12 


continued  help  of  the  Lord,  if  we  advert  for  a 
moment  to  the  wise  and  successful  manner  in  which 
the  concerns  of  the  Board  have  been  conducted. 
Bating  the  imperfections  common  to  all  benevolent 
associations  conducted  by  fallible  men,  we  venture 
to  claim  for  this  institution  such  a measure  of  wis- 
dom, disinterestedness,  and  efficiency  in  its  spirit, 
policy,  and  plans  of  operation,  as  justly  challenges 
universal  confidence  and  support.  Its  founders  were 
among  the  most  intelligent,  calm-minded,  and  devo- 
tedly Christian  men  of  their  day.  No  one  can  read 
the  history  of  the  measures  adopted  by  them,  in  the 
establishment  of  the  Board,  and  in  its  early  opera- 
tions, without  feeling  that  they  were  indeed  guided 
by  wisdom  from  above.  * And  from  the  first,  the 
Board  has  been  favored  with  the  counsels  of  men 
eminently  qualified  by  Christian  principle,  and  by 
their  established  character  and  influence,  to  give  a 
wise  and  efficient  direction  to  the  affairs  of  a great 
institution.  The  four  Secretaries  who  have  de- 
parted this  life, — Worcester,  Evarts,  Cornelius,  and 
Wisner, — were  known  to  many  present ; and  you 
will  not  think  that  I give  them  undue  praise,  when 
I say,  that  the  church  has  been  blessed  with  very 
few  wiser  or  better  men.  Of  their  successors  in 
office,  it  is  enough  to  say,  that  they  are  every  way 
worthy  of  the  high  confidence  reposed  in  them  by 
the  Christian  community.  In  the  Prudential  Com- 
mittee, who  manage  the  immediate  executive  con- 
cerns of  the  Board,  there  have  always  been  men  of 
high  standing  in  society,  alike  distinguished  for  their 
talents  and  for  their  sound  business  habits.  In  per- 


13 


forming  the  arduous  and  difficult  duties  committed 
to  them,  they  have  deeply  felt  their  responsibility  to 
God  and  the  Christian  community.  They  have 
prayed  much  for  divine  light  and  guidance  ; and  wis- 
dom from  on  high,  I fully  believe,  has  been  imparted 
to  them  in  no  ordinary  measure.  It  is  owing  to  this, 
I doubt  not,  that  they  have  been  enabled  so  to  man- 
age the  concerns  of  the  Board  as  to  secure  for  it  the 
growing  confidence  and  affection  of  the  churches. 
Hence  the  deep  sympathy  felt  by  the  community  in 
the  operations  of  the  Board.  Hence  the  readiness 
with  which  its  appeals  for  aid  have  been  responded 
to  in  difficult  and  trying  emergencies.  Such  emer- 
gencies, unforeseen  and  beyond  the  control  of  human 
wisdom,  have  several  times  arisen  in  the  history  of 
the  Board  ; but  they  have  been  nobly  and  generous- 
ly met  by  its  friends,  who  have  thus  evinced  their 
love  to  the  cause,  and  their  confidence  in  those  who 
are  intrusted  with  its  special  management. 

The  continued  help  of  the  Lord  is  still  further  to 
be  acknowledged,  in  that  he  has  raised  up  a suc- 
cession of  able  and  faithful  missionaries,  whom  he 
has  disposed  to  devote  their  lives  to  his  service 
among  the  heathen.  The  time  has  never  been  since 
the  organization  of  the  Board,  when  young  men  of 
talents  and  piety  were  not  ready  to  meet  the  call  of 
duty,  and  give  themselves  to  the  sacred  cause  of 
missions.  Many  who  have  thus  been  employed, 
stood  high  in  their  own  country  for  their  talents  and 
scholarship,  and  might,  had  they  been  disposed  to 
remain  at  home,  have  commanded  a settlement  in 
any  of  the  most  eligible  churches  in  the  land.  But 


14 


the  love  of  Christ  hore  them  away  to  other  fields  of 
labor  ; they  counted  not  their  lives  dear  to  them,  so 
that  they  might  bear  the  tidings  of  salvation  to  those 
perishing  amid  the  darkness  and  miseries  of  pagan- 
ism. Some  of  them  have  laid  their  bones  in  Asia, 
in  Africa,  in  the  islands  of  the  sea,  or  among  the 
wild  men  of  our  own  forests.  Others  still  toil  on  in 
the  service  of  their  Lord,  cheerfully  wearing  out  in 
the  cause  to  which  they  have  devoted  their  lives. 

Among  so  large  a number  of  missionaries  as  have 
been  employed  by  our  Board,  there  must,  of  course, 
be  a diversity  of  gifts  and  qualifications  ; hut  the 
testimony  is  uniform  and  full,  coming  from  scientific 
travellers  and  distinguished  laymen  residing  on  the 
ground,  and  from  the  missionaries  and  directors  ol 
missionary  societies  abroad,  that  no  abler  or  more 
devoted  missionaries  are  any  where  to  be  found  than 
those  who  have  been  sent  forth  from  the  American 
churches.  I have  had  some  opportunity  to  know, 
and  this  testimony  I believe  to  be  true,  and  it  is  just 
cause  of  thanksgiving  to  God,  that  he  has  raised  up 
and  sent  forth  so  many  of  our  ablest  and  most -devo- 
ted young  men  as  laborers  in  a foreign  field. 

Another  thing  I may  mention  in  this  connection, 
as  clearly  indicating  the  helping  hand  of  God.  It  is 
this.  No  essential  difference  of  opinion,  no  matter 
of  controversy  or  dispute,  or  disunion,  has  ever  been 
allowed  to  disturb  the  deliberations  of  the  Commit- 
tee at  the  Missionary  House,  or  of  the  Board  at 
its  annual  meetings.  The  annual  meetings  have 
uniformly  been  characterized  by  great  harmony  of 
sentiment  and  feeling,  and  often  have  been  perva 


15 


ded  in  an  eminent  degree  by  the  Spirit  and  presence 
of  God,  and  those  who  have  attended  them  have  felt 
that  it  was  indeed  good  to  be  there.  May  the  pres- 
ence of  the  divine  Savior  be  vouchsafed  to  us  in  the 
present  meeting,  and  all  in  attendance  receive  a 
fresh  baptism  from  the  God  of  missions. 

4.  If  we  consider  next  the  success  which  has 
attended  the  operations  of  the  Board,  the  actual 
results  of  the  missions  under  its  direction,  we  shall 
have  still  more  striking  evidence  of  the  fact,  that 
“ hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  us.”  Here  a broad 
field  opens  before  us,  which  we  can  now  but  very 
imperfectly  survey.  A slight  view,  however,  may 
suflice  to  convince  us  that  our  labor  in  sending  the 
gospel  to  the  heathen,  far  from  being  in  vain,  has 
been  crowned  with  very  marked  success. 

In  coming  to  a just  estimate  in  relation  to  this 
subject,  it  should  be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  first 
years  of  a missionary’s  life  are,  of  necessity,  years 
of  preparation.  He  has  to  learn  the  language  of 
the  people  to  whom  he  has  been  sent — a barbarous, 
unwritten  language,  it  may  be  ; he  has  to  acquaint 
himself  with  their  manners  and  opinions ; to  over- 
come their  prejudices  ; to  gain  their  confidence  ; to 
make  them  understand  the  nature  and  design  of  his 
mission  ; to  prepare  elementary  books  and  translate 
the  Scriptures  for  their  use.  This,  and  much  more 
like  this,  is  all  preparatory  work  ; it  is  breaking  up 
the  ground  and  casting  in  the  seed,  and  a great  deal 
of  time  and  labor  is  necessarily  expended  in  this 
way,  before  any  fruit  can  be  gathered.  And  this  is, 
in  fact,  the  work  in  which  most  of  our  missionaries 


16 


have  been  employed  a considerable  part  of  the  time 
they  have  been  in  the  field.  It  is  only  within  a 
comparatively  recent  period  that  the  way  has  at  all 
been  prepared  for  the  realization  of  results.  Ac- 
cordingly it  is  a fact,  that  the  success  of  our  missions, 
estimated  by  the  number  of  conversions,  has  been 
more  than  twelve  times  as  great  during  the  last  ten 
years,  as  it  was  in  the  whole  previous  twenty-six 
years  of  the  Board’s  history.  Ten  years  ago  there 
were  about  two  thousand  members  of  our  mission 
churches  ; now  there  are  twenty-four  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  twenty-four. 

It  should  be  recollected,  too,  that  the  effects  of 
missions  are  far  from  being  confined  to  the  fields 
where  they  are  established.  There  is  a reflex  influ- 
ence on  the  churches  at  home,  of  the  most  important 
kind,  imparting  health  and  activity  to  their  piety, 
and  securing  the  frequent  and  copious  effusions  of 
God’s  Spirit  in  revivals.  No  greater  calamity,  1 am 
sure,  could  befall  our  churches,  than  the  suspension 
or  breaking  up  of  our  foreign  missions.  It  may  seem 
a solecism,  but  I speak  sober  truth  when  I sav,  we 
can  by  no  means  afford  to  be  relieved  from  the  ex- 
pense of  supporting  these  missions.  Our  poorest 
churches  and  the  poorest  members  in  them  cannot 
afford  to  be  thus  relieved.  The  spirit  of  missions 
departing  from  our  churches  would  be  like  the  de- 
parture from  them  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  They 
would  become  dead,  fruitless  bodies,  or  exist  only 
as  worldly  associations,  diffusing  around  naught  but 
an  influence  to  mislead,  corrupt  and  destroy. 

The  fact  has  often  been  noticed,  and  it  is  one 


17 


of  serious  instruction,  as  well  as  of  grateful  and 
encouraging  import,  that  religion  at  home  has  pros- 
pered very  much  in  proportion  to  the  interest  which 
has  been  felt  in  the  cause  of  missions.  And  certain 
it  is,  that  revivals  of  religion  have  never  been  more 
numerous  and  powerful,  and  our  churches  have 
never,  on  the  whole,  been  in  a more  vigorous  and 
flourishing  state,  than  since  the  spirit  of  missions 
began  to  pervade  the  Christian  community,  and  to 
wake  up  thought  and  feeling  in  behalf  of  the  spirit- 
ually destitute,  whether  at  home  or  abroad.  Has 
not  the  experience  of  our  churches,  I ask,  during 
the  last  thirty  or  forty  years,  been  in  happy  accord- 
ance with  the  inspired  declaration,  “ They  that 
water,  shall  also  themselves  be  watered  ; they  that 
sow  plentifully,  shall  also  reap  plentifully  ” ? 

But  let  us  notice  a few  facts.  Look  back  to  the 
period  of  the  organization  of  this  Board.  I need 
not  stop  here  to  remind  you  of  the  many  great  be- 
nevolent societies,  of  various  names  and  of  different 
denominations,  that  have  since  been  organized,  all, 
I think,  quickened  into  being  and  aided  in  their 
plans  of  operation  by  the  example  of  this  Board  of 
Missions.  Think  of  what  this  Board  was  when  it 
first  rose  into  being,  and  of  what  it  is  now  ; think 
of  its  four  ordained  missionaries  then,  now  multiplied 
to  134 ; and  the  whole  number  of  its  laborers  in 
foreign  lands,  including  assistant  female  missionaries, 
native  teachers  and  preachers,  physicians,  and  others, 
rising  to  492 ; think  of  its  one  station  then,  now 
multiplied  to  93,  in  various  and  widely  distant  parts 
of  the  heathen  world — each  having  several  preaching 


3 


18 


stations  around  and  belonging  to  it — centres  of 
heavenly  light  and  influence  to  the  surrounding 
regions  of  darkness  ; think  of  its  versions  of  the 
Scriptures  and  other  books  into  twenty-three  lan- 
guages and  dialects  of  the  heathen  world,  and  of  the 
fifteen  printing  establishments  connected  with  its 
missions,  with  fonts  of  type  and  preparations  to 
print  in  thirty-two  different  languages  ; think  of  its 
seventy-three  churches,  embracing  24,824  members  ; 
of  its  seven  seminaries  for  educating  native  preach- 
ers and  teachers,  having  487  pupils,  and  its  31 
boarding-schools,  with  1,387  pupils,  making  in  all 
1,874  boarding  scholars  ; and  of  its  602  free  schools 
with  29,171  pupils,  raising  the  whole  number  of 
youth,  in  a course  of  Christian  education,  to  3 1,015; 
think  how,  when  it  commenced  its  work,  it  was 
without  funds,  and  all  was  to  be  begun  ; now  its 
income  is  over  260,000  dollars ; while  the  light  of 
large  experience  and  bright  hope  shines  on  its  path  ; 
how,  for  several  years,  it  was  accustomed  to  meet  in 
a private  room  for  the  transaction  of  its  annual  busi- 
ness ; now,  the  largest  edifice  is  not  sufficient  to 
accommodate  those  who  attend  the  sacred  convoca- 
tions, to  hear  of  its  success,  and  unite  in  its  services 
and  counsels ; think  of  all  this  in  relation  to  the 
future,  especially  in  regard  to  the  circulation  of  the 
Scriptures,  the  instruction  of  the  young,  and  the 
raising  up  of  native  missionaries,  together  with  the 
countless  silent,  yet  powerful  influences  that  ema- 
nate from  Christian  missions,  all  operating  to  plant 
the  seeds  of  future  civilization,  to  elevate,  purify, 
and  bless  the  state  of  society  where  they  exist ; — 
put  all  these  things  together,  and  view  them  in  their 


19 


results  in  eternity,  countless  multitudes  of  immortal 
beings  raised  from  the  degradation  and  miseries  of 
sin  to  immortal  life  and  blessedness  in  heaven, — then 
say,  whether  the  cost  has  been  too  great  for  the  good 
realized,  and  whether  there  is  not  in  the  effects  of 
our  missions,  in  the  fruits  actually  gathered  from 
them,  the  most  encouraging  evidence  that  “ the 
Lord  hath  hitherto  helped  us”  in  this  great  and 
blessed  work. 

The  view  thus  presented  is  of  course  very  gen- 
eral, a mere  outline,  and  must  therefore  fail  of  giving 
any  thing  like  an  adequate  idea  of  the  good,  of  vari- 
ous kinds,  which  has  been  accomplished  through  the 
instrumentality  of  our  missions.  Could  we  descend 
to  particulars,  review  the  history  of  each  mission,  and 
call  up  the  thousand  incidental  blessings,  which,  in 
consequence  of  missionary  effort,  have  fallen  upon 
individuals  and  families  and  communities,  diffusing 
intelligence,  purity,  comfort,  freedom,  and  hope, 
where  before  naught  was  seen  but  ignorance,  de- 
basement, oppression,  and  despair,  there  is  not  a 
Christian  here,  I am  sure,  who  would  not  exult, 
with  grateful  joy,  at  the  sight,  and  bind  himself 
with  new  interest  and  devotion  to  a cause  so  man- 
ifestly approved  and  blessed  of  God. 

5.  There  is  another  most  interesting  topic  on 
which  I might  easily  enlarge  ; it  is  the  increasing 
facilities  and  continually  brightening  prospects  which 
God  is  holding  out  to  cheer  and  help  us  on  in  this 
great  and  good  work.  But  I must  dismiss  it  with 
a passing  word.  The  spirit  of  missions  is  the  spirit 
of  Christ.  It  brought  him  into  our  world  on  the 
great  errand  of  its  salvation.  He  breathed  it  into 


20 


his  apostles,  when,  at  his  ascension,  he  gave  them 
command  to  go  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
gospel  (o  every  creature.  And  the  measure  of  it 
which  has  been  shed  down  upon  the  church  in  these 
latter  days,  is  but  the  pledge  of  a more  plentiful  ef- 
fusion— the  precursor  of  a brighter  and  more  blessed 
day,  soon  to  rise  upon  the  world.  What  God  has 
begun,  and  has  hitherto  so  signally  helped  forward 
by  his  power  and  grace,  he  will  not  forsake,  but  will 
bear  on  the  work  thus  commenced  to  triumphant 
success  over  all  the  earth.  The  machinery,  if  I may 
so  call  it,  by  which  this  dark  and  miserable  world  is 
to  be  raised  to  holiness  and  God,  is  already  in  op- 
eration. “ Its  many  wheels  are  beginning  to  re- 
volve, and  a complicated,  widely-extended  move- 
ment, continually  accelerated  by  fresh  impulses,  is 
bearing  along  the  world  from  its  wintry  and  torpid 
position,  and  bringing  it  under  the  influence  of 
serener  heavens  and  an  awakening  spring.  All  the 
genial  powers  of  nature  and  grace,  of  science  and 
art,  are  being  unlocked,  and  the  better  feelings  that 
have  long  slumbered  in  the  breast  of  man,  are  rising 
into  life  and  activity.”  Viewed  in  the  light  of 
God’s  word  and  providence,  the  future  presents 
brighter  visions,  and  holds  out  more  animating  mo- 
tives to  engage  and  quicken  11s  in  the  great  work 
of  giving  the  gospel  to  the  whole  world,  than  were 
ever  afforded  to  any  who  have  lived  before  11s.  It 
is  the  work  to  which  God  is  especially  calling  the 
whole  church  at  this  day  ; and  blessed  are  they,  who, 
encouraged  and  strengthened  by  his  help,  engage,  at 
his  call,  in  the  holy  enterprise  of  filling  this  world 
with  the  knowledge  and  glory  of  his  great  name. 


21 


And  now,  brethren  and  friends,  what  lessons,  in 
review  of  our  subject,  may  we  gather  up  to  be 
impressed  upon  our  minds  ■ 

1.  The  first  which  suggests  itself,  and  which,  I 
doubt  not,  you  have  anticipated,  is  a lesson  of  grat- 
itude to  the  great  Lord  of  missions.  How  different 
the  situation  in  which  we  meet  this  evening,  from 
that  occupied  by  the  founders  of  this  Board,  thirty- 
six  years  ago!  Its  friends  were  then  few  ; its  des- 
tined field  of  labor  unknown  and  unexplored  ; its 
funds  yet  to  he  collected  ; the  spirit  of  missions  yet 
to  he  roused,  if  not  created,  in  the  public  mind  ; 
nay,  the  whole  great  work  was  to  he  begun,  and 
that  without  experience,  and  in  the  face  of  great 
indifference,  unbelief  and  opposition.  How  sur- 
prising the  alteration  since  that  day  ! The  accessi- 
ble field  of  missions  vastly  enlarged,  including  well 
nigh  the  whole  world  ; the  spirit  of  missions  widely 
diffused  and  increasingly  active  ; large  experience 
gathered  from  being  exercised  in  the  work  ; the 
helping  hand  of  God  attending  our  efforts  in  the 
most  encouraging  manner,  and  brighter  prospects 
continually  opening  before  us ; — we  meet  here  to 
transact  the  annual  business  of  the  Board,  cheered 
on  in  our  great  enterprise  by  the  co-operation  and 
prayers  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  warm-hearted 
and  devoted  friends  of  the  missionary  cause.  Sure- 
ly, here  is  matter  of  gratitude,  if  aught  on  earth 
should  inspire  gratitude. 

Some,  who  have  embarked  in  this  enterprise,  may 
feel  disappointed  that  no  more  has  been  done.  But 
such,  I am  sure,  have  never  duly  counted  the  cost 
of  the  undertaking.  In  the  warmth  of  their  feelings, 


22 


or  governed  more  by  fancy  than  by  reason,  they 
may  have  imagined  that  a few  years  of  effort  and  a 
few  thousand  dollars  expended,  would  suffice  to 
demolish  the  strong  holds  of  heathenism  and  convert 
the  world  to  God.  But  no  intelligent  Christian  can 
have  entertained  such  a view  as  this  of  the  work  of 
missions.  It  is  a great  work,  far  the  greatest  and 
most  difficult  ever  undertaken  by  man.  Instead  of 
wondering  that  so  little  has  been  done  towards  its 
accomplishment,  we  have  reason  rather  to  be  sur- 
prised, in  view  of  the  scantiness  and  feebleness  of 
the  means  used,  that  so  much  has  been  done.  If  we 
review  the  past,  in  the  exercise  of  a sober,  Christian 
judgment,  we  cannot  but  feel  that  God  has  done 
exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  we  had  it  in 
our  hearts  to  ask,  or  even  think.  He  has  been 
beforehand  with  us  in  all  our  labors  to  advance  this 
cause,  preparing  the  way,  and  crowning  effort  with 
unexpected  success.  And  in  view  of  the  numerous 
interpositions  of  his  providence  and  grace  in  favor 
of  the  cause,  which  we,  with  our  fellow  Christians, 
have  humbly  endeavored  to  promote,  it  becomes  us 
to  be  deeply  and  continually  grateful. 

Nor  should  any  be  unbelieving  or  backward  to 
see  and  acknowledge  the  helping  hand  of  God, 
which  has  been  so  signally  manifested  in  the  past 
history  of  the  Board.  It  were  easy  to  point  out 
failures  in  particular  instances,  or  to  charge  indi- 
vidual missions  with  mismanagement,  and  even  the 
measures  of  the  Board  as  not  having  been  in  all 
cases  the  wisest  and  best  possible.  But  surely, 
such  things,  even  should  they  he  true,  incidental  as 
they  are  to  all  the  undertakings  of  imperfect  men, 


23 


should  not  blind  our  eyes  to  the  many  tokens  of 
God’s  favor  vouchsafed  to  the  Board,  nor  prevent 
our  rendering  to  him  our  tribute  of  thanksgiving  for 
the  great  good  which  he  has  been  pleased  to  accom- 
plish through  its  instrumentality. 

1 cannot  think  it  either  right  or  Christian  to 
maintain  the  posture  of  complaint  and  fault-finding 
in  relation  to  a great  and  good  cause,  which  is  man- 
ifestly owned  and  blessed  of  God,  simply  for  the 
reason  that  it  is  not,  in  all  respects,  conducted  in 
what  we  deem  the  best  manner.  I could  not  take 
such  a posture,  without  being  reminded,  and  that  too 
with  no  very  easy  or  pleasant  feelings,  of  the  coun- 
sel of  Gamaliel,  given  to  his  friends  on  a certain 
occasion,  “ And  now  I say  unto  you,  refrain  from 
these  men,  and  let  them  alone  ; for  if  this  counsel 
or  this  work  be  of  men,  it  will  come  to  naught ; but 
if  it  be  of  God,  ye  cannot  overthrow  it,  lest  haply 
ye  be  found  to  fight  against  God.” 

The  warmest  friends  of  the  Board  do  not  claim 
for  it  exemption  from  all  mistake  and  error;  this 
were  to  suppose  its  affairs  to  be  conducted  by  angels 
and  not  by  men.  Nor  do  we,  by  any  means,  wish 
its  proceedings  to  be  screened  from  the  watchful 
eye  and  the  kind  supervision  of  its  friends  and 
patrons.  The  safety  and  efficiency  of  the  Board 
greatly  depend  upon  such  friendly  inspection  of  its 
doings ; and  those  who  conduct  its  immediate  con- 
cerns, far  from  shunning  such  inspection,  earnestly 
invite  it,  and  are  thankful  for  it.  It  is  a great  fel- 
lowship of  labor  and  responsibility  in  which  we  are 
engaged  ; and  if  God  helps  us  in  this  work,  not- 
withstanding the  imperfections  of  our  poor  services, 


24 


let  us  thank  him  for  his  help,  and  unitedly  go  for- 
ward in  his  work,  striving  to  make  what  we  do  in 
promoting  it  more  perfect  in  time  to  come.  It  were 
certainly  much  more  in  unison  with  the  spirit  of  the 
gospel,  as  it  would  doubtless  tend  much  more  to  our 
own  edification  and  comfort,  to  acknowledge  God’s 
hand  in  helping  forward  the  cause  in  which  we  are 
engaged,  and  to  thank  and  praise  his  name  for  the 
good  he  is  doing  by  it,  than  to  dwell  upon  alleged 
imperfections,  or  maintain  a posture  of  unbelief,  of 
fault-finding  and  crimination.  If,  in  our  view,  there 
are  imperfections  and  errors  in  (he  policy  and  man- 
agement of  this  great  and  good  cause,  far  from  de- 
serting the  cause  itself,  or  making  war  against  it  on 
that  account,  we  should  bear  and  forbear,  and  pa- 
tiently and  kindly  wait,  and  use  the  proper  means 
for  their  correction.  Good  men  have  here  no  inter- 
est to  serve  but  that  of  the  common  cause  of  missions, 
the  cause  of  God  and  human  salvation  ; and  while 
it  may  be  expected  of  good  men,  that  they  will  can- 
didly listen  to  the  suggestions  of  those  who  are  pro- 
fessedly engaged  in  the  same  cause  with  themselves, 
it  may  be  expected  of  them,  at  least,  with  equal  con- 
fidence, that  they  will  not  be  diverted  from  a course 
in  relation  to  this  cause,  which  (hey  believe  to  be 
right,  and  which  they  see  is  manifestly  approved  of 
God. 

2.  Let  us  learn  from  our  subject  a lesson  of  duty. 
A great  work  is  going  forward  in  our  day,  the  work 
of  evangelizing  the  world.  This  work  has  upon  it 
the  high  seal  of  heaven.  It  is  in  fulfilment  of  the 
great  design  of  our  Savior’s  mediation  ; it  is  in  obe- 
dience to  his  last  command,  and  it  involves  the 


25 


eternal  destiny  of  earth’s  unevangelized  millions. 
This  work — I mean  the  portion  of  it  committed  to 
this  Board — was  commenced  by  our  fathers,  who 
now  rest  from  their  labors.  It  has  passed  into  our 
hands,  and  we  are  called  to  carry  it  forward,  to  the 
utmost  extent  of  our  power,  during  our  brief  day  of 
responsibility  and  toil ; and  then,  in  our  turn,  com- 
mitting it  to  those  who  survive  us,  go  with  our 
fathers  to  the  rewards  which  they  enjoy  in  heaven. 

The  very  help  which  God  has  hitherto  afforded  in 
the  prosecution  of  this  work,  devolves  upon  us  new 
and  more  pressing  duties.  The  seed,  which  for 
many  long  years  was  being  sown,  with  wearisome 
toil  and  much  prayer,  has  began  to  spring  up,  and 
the  fields  are  white  unto  the  harvest.  It  is  ours  to 
enter  in  and  reap  the  harvest,  and  gather  fruit  unto 
eternal  life;  that  so  it  may  be  fulfilled  in  us,  as  in 
the  apostles  of  old,  that  they  who  sowed,  and  we 
who  reap,  shall  rejoice  together.  If  we  fail  to  do 
this ; in  other  words,  if  we  fail  to  sustain  and 
strengthen  our  missions  by  the  increased  help  which 
is  demanded,  by  the  fact  that  God  has  so  greatly 
prospered  them,  then  shall  we  lose  the  fruits  of  past 
labors  ; and  fields  placed  under  hopeful  cultivation 
and  beginning  to  smile  with  moral  verdure  and 
beauty  must  be  abandoned,  and  turned  back  to 
barrenness  and  desolation. 

The  missionary  work,  it  should  ever  be  borne  in 
mind,  is  necessarily  a cumulative  work.  The  suc- 
cess of  one  year  creates  a demand  for  more  work  to 
be  done  the  next  year.  And  surely,  because  God 
helps  us  in  our  work,  blesses  our  missions,  and  so 


4 


26 


increases  our  labors  and  responsibilities,  we  may  not 
ask  him  to  stay  his  hand,  or  lighten  the  burdens 
which  he  thus  lays  upon  us.  Rather  let  us  thank 
him  for  placing  us  under  the  blessed  necessity  of 
going  forward  in  this  work;  and  if,  at  any  time,  it 
seem  to  press  too  heavily  upon  us,  let  us  take  it  up 
with  new  courage  in  his  strength,  casting  our  bur- 
den upon  the  Lord,  and  he  will  sustain  us. 

Our  duty  in  respect  to  the  cause  of  missions  is  not 
indeed  to  be  ascertained  or  to  be  measured  by  the 
degree  of  success  which  may  presently  attend  our 
endeavors.  That  duty  comes  to  us  under  the  sanc- 
tion of  a higher  authority.  It  lies  in  two  things, — 
first,  it  is  the  will  of  our  ascended  and  reigning 
Lord,  expressed  in  a plain  command  of  his  word, 
that  we,  his  disciples,  bear  a part  in  causing  his 
gospel  to  be  preached  to  every  creature  ; and,  sec- 
ondly, we  have  the  means  of  affording  essential  aid 
in  the  accomplishment  of  this  great  work,  and  where 
there  is  a knowledge  of  duty  and  the  means  of  doing 
it,  there  the  obligation  is  perfect,  and  we  are  held 
responsible  to  the  great  Lord  and  Judge  of  all. 

Our  privilege,  too,  in  this  respect,  lies  in  two 
things.  First,  the  cause  itself  is  essentially  good, 
and  in  seeking  to  promote  it  we  become  co-workers 
with  God,  in  God’s  most  noble  work,  call  into  exer- 
cise the  purest  and  best  feelings  of  the  heart,  and 
adopt  the  most  effectual  way  of  securing  growth  in 
grace,  and  a high  measure  of  present  Christian  en- 
joyment. And,  secondly,  all  we  do  in  this  cause, 
from  love  to  Christ  and  our  fellow-men,  Christ 
regards  as  done  to  himself,  and  he  will  remember  it 
to  our  everlasting  joy  in  the  kingdom  of  glory. 


27 


3.  Let  us  learn  from  our  subject  a lesson  of  godly 
fear,  lest  by  any  thing  wrong  in  our  spirit  and  man- 
ner of  doing  this  work,  we  turn  away  God’s  helping 
hand  from  us.  The  cause,  my  brethren,  in  which 
we  are  engaged,  is  God’s  cause,  and  not  ours,  and 
its  success  depends  absolutely  on  his  blessing.  Our 
plans,  our  means,  our  efforts,  however  multiplied  and 
extended,  would  not  avail  for  the  salvation  of  a sin- 
gle soul,  without  the  continued  guidance  and  help  of 
God’s  Spirit.  ‘ It  is  not  by  might,  nor  by  power, 
but  by  his  Spirit,’  that  this  world’s  salvation  is  to  be 
effected.  This  great  cardinal  truth  is  ever  to  be 
kept  in  mind  by  missionaries  and  the  directors  of 
missionary  societies  and  their  friends.  It  should 
form  their  plans,  guide  their  policy,  animate  their 
efforts,  and  draw  forth  their  prayers  in  faith  and 
hope,  under  a deep,  abiding  impression,  that  without 
the  help  of  God  nothing  can  be  done  in  this  work; 
and  with  his  help,  nothing  is  too  great  or  too  diffi- 
cult to  be  done.  Every  thing  we  attempt  in  this 
great  enterprise  should  be  begun,  continued  and 
ended  in  an  inward,  heartfelt  persuasion  that  we 
are  simply  instruments  in  God’s  hand  to  do  God’s 
work  ; and  this  should  make  us  most  seriously  soli- 
citous to  do  his  work  in  his  way,  and  not  in  ours. 
There  is  no  room  here  for  worldly  wisdom,  or  world- 
ly policy.  The  whole  enterprise  should  be  conduct- 
ed in  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  not  with  fleshly 
wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God.  Especially  does 
it  become  us  to  cherish  habitually  a godly  fear,  a 
holy  jealousy,  lest  in  the  doing  of  the  work  commit- 
ted to  us,  we  displease  God,  and  he  withdraw  his 
help  from  us.  We  may  do  this  in  a great  variety  of 


28 


ways.  We  may  do  this  by  indulging  a spirit  of  self- 
confidence,  or  placing  undue  reliance  on  mere  human 
instruments.  We  may  do  it  by  turning  aside  from 
our  proper  work,  taking  up  burdens  which  the  Lord 
does  not  impose  upon  us,  or  engaging  in  controversy 
about  matters  which,  however  important  in  them- 
selves, or  desirable  to  be  attained,  fall  not  within  the 
appropriate  sphere  of  this  Board’s  agency.  We  may 
do  this  by  departing  from  the  scriptural  model  of 
missions — strictly  a spiritual  model — and  conduct- 
ing them  on  a wrong  plan  ; introducing  into  them 
more  of  the  form  than  of  the  power  of  religion — 
more  of  what  is  secular  and  showy,  than  of  what  is 
spiritual  and  enduring  ; building  of  hay,  wood,  and 
stubble,  rather  than  of  gold,  silver,  and  precious 
stones,  which  only  will  abide  in  the  coming  day  of 
trial. 

In  a conversation  I had  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Tid- 
man,  one  of  the  Secretaries  of  the  London  Mission- 
ary Society,  some  two  years  since,  he  made  this 
remark,  in  reply  to  a question  I put  to  him,  in  regard 
to  the  policy  pursued  by  his  Society  in  conducting 
its  missions  : Our  only  policy,  he  said,  is  to  have  no 
policy,  but  to  preach  the  pure  gospel,  Christ  and 
him  crucified.  This  remark  struck  me  with  force, 
as  having  in  it  sound  philosophy,  as  well  as  sound 
scriptural  truth.  It  suggests  the  only  true  and  effi- 
cient policy  of  conducting  Christian  missions — a 
policy  aiming,  as  its  main  end,  at  the  conversion  of 
souls,  and  building  them  up  in  truth  and  holiness. 
This  was  Paul’s  policy  ; it  should  be  ours  ; and  the 
more  closely  we  adhere  to  it,  the  simpler  will  be 
our  plan,  the  more  plain  and  unembarrassed  our 


29 


course,  and  the  more  likely  shall  we  be  to  enjoy  the 
continued  help  of  God.  Much  prayer,  much  hu- 
mility, much  consciousness  of  dependence  on  the 
Holy  Spirit,  with  great  simplicity  of  purpose,  and 
consecration  of  heart  and  life  to  God’s  service  and 
glory, — these  are  the  essential  elements  of  efficiency 
and  success  in  the  missionary  work.  They  are  right 
and  pleasing  in  God’s  sight ; they  honor  his  power 
and  grace  ; and  where  he  sees  missions  conducted 
in  this  spirit,  and  with  this  end  in  view,  there  he 
will  afford  his  help,  and  the  work  will  go  forward 
with  power  in  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  dying 
men. 

4.  Let  us  learn  from  our  subject  a lesson  of  en- 
couragement and  hope  in  regard  to  the  future. 
The  work  of  missions,  it  is  true,  is  encompassed 
with  great  difficulties  and  embarrassments.  It  is  a 
work  which  draws  forth  little  sympathy  or  co-opera- 
tion from  an  unbelieving  world.  It  has  no  charms 
for  the  mere  scholar,  statesman  or  philosopher.  It 
is  not  carried  forward  by  the  resources  of  the  great 
and  mighty  among  men.  It  is  a work  not  to  be 
consummated  in  a day  or  a year,  but  is  to  be  car- 
ried on  from  generation  to  generation,  how  long  we 
know  not.  It  is  to  be  carried  on,  too,  in  the  midst 
of  toil  and  suffering,  with  the  sacrifice  of  much 
property  and  of  many  lives,  and  in  the  face  of 
much  opposition  and  of  many  reverses  and  discour- 
agements. Still  this  work  will  go  forward.  It  will 
go  forward  when  we  and  others  now  engaged  in  it 
are  dead  and  gone.  It  will  pass  into  other  hands, 
and  be  urged  on  by  other  agents,  till  the  great 
object  at  which  it  aims,  is  accomplished,  and  the 


30 


whole  world  converted  to  God.  The  cause  of  mis- 
sions is  God’s  cause.  He  has  set  upon  it,  in  our 
day,  the  seal  of  his  approbation  ; and  his  promise 
and  power  are  pledged  to  make  it  triumphant  over 
all  the  earth.  It  may  meet  with  local  and  tempora- 
ry checks.  Particular  missions  may,  for  a time,  fail 
of  success,  or  be  abandoned.  False  friends  may 
desert  the  cause,  and  its  true  friends  may  sometimes 
be  ready  to  faint  because  of  the  greatness  of  the 
work,  and  the  mighty  obstacles  which  lie  in  the 
way  of  its  accomplishment.  The  heathen  them- 
selves, or  such  as  falsely  bear  the  Christian  name, 
may  rise  up  to  persecute  and  oppose,  and  govern- 
ments may  put  forth  the  strong  arm  of  power  to 
suppress  the  progress  of  truth,  and  test  the  fidelity 
of  our  missionaries,  by  subjecting  them  to  trials, 
like  those  which  the  apostles  and  primitive  Chris- 
tians had  to  endure.  Still,  I repeat,  the  cause  of 
missions  will  go  forward.  It  has  gone  forward  in  a 
remarkable  manner  in  our  day,  and  never  perhaps 
more  remarkably  than  during  the  last  year.  Many 
events  have  occurred  of  great  and  auspicious  inter- 
est in  their  bearing  on  our  missions.  The  mission 
in  Syria,  long  and  severely  tried,  has  assumed  a 
new  and  very  encouraging  aspect ; and  its  facilities 
for  preaching  the  Gospel  in  that  dark  land  with  suc- 
cess were  never  so  great  as  at  present.  The  great 
battle  of  religious  freedom,  it  would  seem,  has  been 
fought  in  Turkey,  and  the  victory  won.  What  it 
cost  our  fathers  more  than  a century  of  struggling 
and  suffering  to  achieve  in  England,  has  been 
achieved,  after  the  struggle  of  a few  months,  in  the 
empire  of  the  Moslems.  The  rights  of  Protestant- 


31 


ism  arc  recognised,  and  Protestant  churches,  under 
the  auspices  of  our  mission  there,  are  being  estab- 
lished. Divine  influence,  too,  during  the  past  year, 
has  descended  upon  many  of  our  missions,  if  not  in 
copious  showers,  yet  in  refreshing  dews,  reviving 
the  hearts  of  our  missionaries,  and  raising  to  hope 
and  to  God  many  of  the  benighted  and  the  lost. 
When  1 read  of  the  work  of  God  among  the  poor 
Indians  in  the  far  west,  and  especially  of  what  has 
transpired  within  a few  months  among  the  Nesto- 
rians  of  Oroomiah  and  its  neighboring  villages,  1 
seem  to  myself  to  be  in  the  midst  of  those  scenes  of 
mercy  which  have  so  often  been  witnessed  in  the 
churches  of  our  own  land,  and  which  we  gratefully 
recognise  as  the  manifestation  of  God’s  special  pres- 
ence and  grace.  These  visitations  of  divine  influ- 
ence, we  may  confidently  hope,  will  be  more  and 
more  frequent,  powerful  and  extensive,  till  the  seed 
of  the  word,  having  been  scattered  broadcast  over 
the  earth,  and  the  way  prepared  for  so  glorious  a 
consummation,  nations  will  be  born  unto  God  in  a 
day,  and  a quick  work  will  be  made  in  bringing  the 
whole  world  into  subjection  to  Him  who  reigns  King 
on  the  holy  hill  of  Zion.  Let  us  then  look  upon 
the  cause  of  missions  with  strong  confidence  and 
bright  hope.  This  cause  is  safe — a spiritual  cause, 
carried  on  in  the  hearts  of  men  by  God’s  invisible, 
almighty  power.  Its  elements  are  truth  and  love ; 
its  seat  of  action  is  the  soul  of  man  ; its  fruit, 
peace,  joy,  hope,  present  and  everlasting  happiness. 
This  cause  is  safe ; and  it  is  the  only  cause  in  our 
world  which  is  safe.  Nation  may  rise  against 
nation,  governments  may  be  established  and  over- 


32 


turned ; “ revolution  may  succeed  revolution,  as 
waves  on  a stormy  sea  ; ” and  all  the  enterprises 
and  affairs  of  men  may  perish  and  pass  away  in 
disappointment  and  confusion  ; but  the  cause  of 
missions,  the  cause  of  God,  is  safe.  Our  day  of 
action  will  quickly  be  over.  Another  thirty-six 
years  of  the  Board’s  history  will  soon  pass  away, 
but  we  shall  not  be  here  to  mingle  in  its  councils, 
or  aid  in  carrying  out  its  measures.  But  the  power 
that  guards  the  cause  we  love,  and  which  is  en- 
gaged to  bear  it  on  to  final  and  complete  success,  is 
above  all  change.  It  never  grows  old,  is  never 
weary ; and  when  that  power  has  borne  on  this 
cause  to  its  destined  consummation,  then  the  dark- 
ness and  miseries  of  sin  shall  roll  away  from  all 
lands ; light  and  salvation  bless  all  the  ends  of  the 
earth  ; and  unnumbered  millions  of  our  race, 
plucked  as  brands  from  the  burning,  shall  stand 
with  white  robes  and  palms  in  their  hands  in  the 
higher  and  eternal  regions,  joining  in  the  song  in 
which  Christ  is  united  with  the  Father,  “Salvation 
to  God  that  sittcth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the 
Lamb  for  ever  and  ever,  Amen.” 


